Tales of a Red Clay Rambler: A pottery and ceramic art podcast

This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with potter Mark Shapiro. After an early career as a carpenter and metal sculptor Shapiro has been a dedicated studio potter for almost thirty years. He continues to fire the wood kiln he built shortly after moving from New York City to Worthington, MA in 1986. In the interview we talk about the virtue of handmade, questioning the "ethical" pot, and Mark's efforts to establish and document an apprenticeship system for potters. To find out more about his pottery please visit www.stonepoolpottery.com.

This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with potter Sam Taylor. Working in Western Massachuetts since the early 1990's his Dog Bar studio is nestled between the Connecticut River Valley and the hills of the Berkshire mountains. Influenced by the pottery of Michael Simon, and other American Mingei potters, Taylor has developed a keen eye for dividing decorative space on his wood fired forms. Leaning on a graphic sensibility he uses high contrast slips and brush work to enliven his functional forms. In the interview we talk about being influenced by artistic peers and balancing creative expression with the need for financial stability. For more information on Sam please visit www.dogbarpottery.com. 

This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Daniel Ricardo Teran and Naomi Cleary. Both accomplished potters they have exhibited their functional pottery in galleries across the United States. In addition to studio work Naomi is the manager of Sales, Online Marketing and Communications at the Clay Studio and Daniel has been an instructor at many Philadelphia ceramic institutions. 

One of the unique aspects of their story is the decision to purchase and renovate a dilapidated home in Philadelphia. In the interview we talk about living and investing in the inner city, managing studio with family responsibilities, and planning for the future. For more information on Daniel's work please visit www.danielricardoteran.com. For more information on Naomi's work please visit her profile on Art Axis. 

This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Sandi Pierantozzi and Neil Patterson. A long time staple of the Philadelphia ceramics scene they run the Neighborhood Potters studio on Fairmont Avenue. In the interview we talk about nurturing creative community in an urban environment, embracing the exploratory nature of a new body of work and their ongoing relationship with the Craft Emergency Relief Fund. For more information on their work please visit www.sandiandneil.com. For more information on C. E. R. F. + please visit www.craftemergency.org.

This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have a live episode with Bobby Silverman, Michael Strand and Tina Gebhart. We discuss a broad spectrum of design related topics including education, the role of handmade in the contemporary design studio, and the ever changing boundaries of good taste. This episode was taped in front of a live studio audience at The Clay Studio in Philadelphia, PA as part of Design Philadelphia. 

This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I delve into the relationship between food, objects, and memory. The episode features fifteen short interviews with a mixture of artists, curators, and collectors. All participants were asked, "What is your favorite food, and how would you like it to be served?" Their responses, both hilarious and sincere, show how eating rituals are foundational to building relationships with family and friends. The interviews were taped as part of the ArtKamp residency at Project Art in Cummington, MA. 

This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Mary Barringer and Elenor Wilson. Although both are accomplished ceramic artists our interview is focused on their tenures as editor for the The Studio Potter journal. Established in 1972 The Studio Potter has had an active role in documenting and shaping the American pottery scene. 

This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have a live episode focused on craft and the museum with Ethan Lasser and Ezra Shales. We discuss the need for touch-friendly learning in museums, the role of craft in Boston's history, and the methods museums use to create meaning through the presentation of objects. This episode was taped in front of a live studio audience at Harvard Ceramics in Alston, MA.

This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have a panel on educational philosophy and workshop teaching featuring Lisa Naples, Kate Maury, and Adam Field. The discussion covers a broad range of topics including the role of criticism in education, vulnerability in teaching, and what qualities make for a perfect ceramic workshop. 

Lisa Naples makes pottery and narrative figures from her barn/studio in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. She has lectured and given workshops around the U.S. and Australia. For more information please visit www.lisanaples.com. Kate Maury is a studio artist at the Northern Clay Center and teaches at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Kate Maury’s work is featured in both juried and invitational shows at regional, national, and international venues. For more information please visit www.katemaury.com. Adam Field is a studio potter and long-term resident artist at The Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana. He created the “HIDE-N-SEEKAH” social media event and has created a well known series of YouTube videos that are a resource within the clay community. For more information please visit www.adamfieldpottery.com.

This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Andrew Baseman. An avid collector, Baseman has built one of the premier collections of "make-do's". These unique objects feature inventive repairs such as stapling, metal wrapping, and rattan weaving that were used to return them to functional service. Baseman photographs and writes about the unique history of each object and their repairs on his blog Past Imperfect: The Art of Inventive Repair. In the interview we talk about the history of inventive repair, how context changes the value of an object, and the role decorative objects play in the entertainment world. Please visit www.andrewbaseman.com/blog for more information on Past Imperfect.

When not collecting antiques Andrew is an interior designer specializing in set decoration for television and movies. He is currently the set decorator for the show Gotham playing on the Fox Network. In more than a few scenes he has staged ceramic pieces in Wayne Manor, the home of Bruce Wayne, the future Batman. Click here to see a clip of ceramics on the set of Gotham.